hondo in seattle

I've only seen highlights of Jim Brown so I can't judge which is better. But nobody since Simpson comes close to his talent. Running was harder in those days because defenses were geared to stop it and the rules were different (hash marks, for example, were closer to the sideline squeezing plays to the other side). Only 5 backs in the NFL rushed for 1,000 yards in 1973. The most yards anyone - besides OJ - had was 1,144. OJ had 2,003. The Bills passing attack wasn't great in '73. Nor was their defense. Our opponents had a singular focus when playing us: STOP OJ. But no one could. He was just in a different league than anyone else. No other RB in history has dominated his peers like OJ. Anybody who compares AP - or whoever the RB of the moment is - to OJ just isn't well informed. Too bad all that amazing talent was given to a murderous schmuck. I hope the movie, though, shows some of his highlights to remind people how feared the Bills running attack once was.

I really don't believe Kolb/EJ will be worse this year than Fitz was last year. Maybe not better, but not worse either. Gailey wasn't a bad OC so I'm not looking for much improvement from the offense just yet. I do think the defense - with Pettine as OC instead of Wanny - will make a solid step forward this year. Altogether... 8-8. But there are so many changes and so many unknowns this season that I don't have a high sense of confidence in my prediction.

2 out of 14 arrests were recorded by Rodney Wright who, as I recall, never played a down for us, though he had a couple nice seasons for the San Jose SabreCats. Nice charts, Doc.

Under the circumstances, the article is a fair assessment. Typically when a team changes their HC, OC, DC and QB, there are growing pains. I hope the 2013 Bills are an exception but if I were a Ravens sportswriter, I wouldn't see a lot of reasons to predict that the Bills will be a strong opponent this year. To me, personally, change = hope.

Yeah the pad was nice. But I'm in my 50s and had back surgery last year. That hit - pad or no pad - would have put tears in my eyes.

I can't celebrate anyone's misfortune. One man is dead. One family is heartbroken. And things will be tough for the Hernandez family as well when and if Aaron goes to prison.

Good point. And the popular perception of bettors, while not a horrible predictor, is hardly flawlessly accurate. Most Vegas sports bettors (the people who indirectly but essentially set the betting lines) are not experts in the Buffalo Bills. They don't know our roster or coaches as well as the people on this board. Most people here are more qualified to predict the Bills win total the sum total of people who gamble on sports. If we took annual polls on TBD, I'd bet the consensus total wins would usually be more accurate than the Vegas line. But I also think that given all the variables - new HC, OC, DC, QB and other new players - that anyone who correctly picks our win total this year is just plain lucky.

Despite the philosophy that the best 5 players need to be on the field, I doubt if Hackett plans to use a 2 back set as his base offense. I just think Hackett is saying he needs to get his 5 best players on the field as much as possible. Two backs in the backfield is one option. Lining up CJ or Freddy (probably CJ) as a WR sometimes is another option. And sometimes only one RB will be on the field because a particular grouping will be better for the play call than having both Freddy and CJ out there. I expect Hackett to be creative with his formations and personnel groupings just like I expect Pettine to be creative with defensive formations.

Hernandez is innocent till proven guilt but the more I learn about him, the more it seems he should have imprisoned a long time ago. This might be the 3rd time he's shot at someone. What a thug.

It's curious more defensive players are showing up on these lists than offensive guys, considering our offense was at least mediocre last year when our defense just plain sucked. I guess we're blaming Wanny more than the players themselves.

I agree. Sometimes I wish we could figure out an economic system that rewards people for the quality of the lives they lead and the contributions they make. Teachers - the good ones - would make a lot more and self-centered athletes would make less.

Yep. OK, I'll play... Cookie OJ Thurman Joe Cribbs

Sad if true. A lot of kids consider sports and gangs as an either/or choice. Some athletes say sports saved them from life in a gangs. But apparently there are some that make their bed in both worlds.

Moulds was bigger & stronger than both Stevie and Lee. Lee was a speedster with good hands but not great underneath. Stevie is deceptive, elusive and great underneath - but not a super talented deep threat. And as I recall, Moulds had better hands than Johnson. Moulds, in his prime, was more well-rounded than either Stevie or Lee. Moulds, IMHO, is the best Bills WR post- Andre. If Moulds had played in Reed's spot on the early 90s Bills, he would have produced similar numbers and received similar accolades.

I don't recall gang problems. I remember he fell in the draft due to marijuana use. Hernandez claimed that he started using marijuana to cope with the death of his father. http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2010/04/27/patriots_draft_pick_hernandez_failed_marijuana_tests/ Any info on the two 'associates' at his home? Were they gang members? I don't like the Pats but wouldn't wish this situation on anybody. Somebody's dead and someone else is probably going to prison.

Great memory! I can't recall details like you but I do remember feeling a bit sorry for Moulds when he was playing. If he had played with Kelly and the K-Gun, Canton might have been a possibility.

EJ looks like a cool, confident, down-to-earth guy. Keith Pough looks like an its-all-about-me kind of player (maybe it's the shirt). I don't recall the Bills signing Guy-on-his-way-back-from-the-bathroom. Wondering what position he plays.

Good find, and I agree.

If anything remotely related to the Bills is happening anywhere in the universe, PTR knows about it.

I agree the Bills aren't going away any time soon. But linking us with Toronto is a bit of a stretch. TO watches the Bills, and Canadians attend Bills games to a certain extent. But saying Buffalo is the 4th biggest market is misleading. We don't have the 4th biggest fan base. We don't have the 4th highest TV ratings nor the 4th highest merchandise sales. Torontonians don't support the Bills the way Buffalonians do. Toronto is just too far away to be considered the same market. And I have to say, there are reasons to worry about the long term viability of the Bills. Imagine you are a billionaire entrepreneur buying the Bills when Ralph passes and, doing your due diligence, you know these trends... In 1900, Buffalo was the 8th biggest city in the US. By 1960, the year Ralph started the Bills, Buffalo was still in the Top 20 (#20). Buffalo is now the 49th biggest metro area in the US. Our ranking is collapsing. Worse yet, Buffalo is not a particularly affluent market - we're ranked 55th in metro GDP. There are many cities with more money and more people and better futures than Buffalo where a NFL team could thrive. After spending almost a billion dollars to buy the Bills, why keep them in Buffalo? We all need to hope the Bills are purchased by a Buffalo homer. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0922422.html http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,25513.0.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_United_States_Metropolitan_Statistical_Areas

Kraft gave Putin the ring as a way of saying thanks for Putin linking up Kraft with some of his old espionage buddies. Spygate's just the tip of the iceberg.

Good research. I don't care how "aggressive" Pettine is as measured by blitzes. I care whether he can run an effective defense. Based on his experience in New York, it seems he can though we won't know for sure until he has time out of Rex's shadow here with the Bills.

Football is too popular, and makes too much money, to be gone in 10-20 years. "Evolve or Die" goes the famous dictum. If faced with those choices, football will evolve.

Everyone is wrong once in a while. Not everyone apologizes for it. Thanks to you, CowgirlsFan, for setting a good example.

Given that the Bills don't have a single proven starter on the roster, I would have taken 4 QBs into preseason and kept 3 on the roster in the regular season. As it is now, I tend to think texasabres might be right. The Bills just might give Tuel a roster spot.